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Saturday, 25 March 2017

We are fast approaching the end of our current four year
County Council administration and I have to say those years have just whistled
by so quickly.

I can honestly say it has been very busy and eventful
over the last four years. There have been major changes and events both locally
and nationally and the organisation has responded well to all that has come its
way. However the one constant thing that doesn’t change is our need to do the
best for you, our residents and your communities as your County
Council. We’ve faced financial challenges and have had to take some
difficult decisions. And to be realistic, this is something the new County
Council will need to continue to do after the elections.

Throughout the last four years I have tried to make time
to write my blog, helping to keep everyone informed. I would like to thank
everyone for their interest and for reading the blog.

The County Council election will be held on Thursday 4
May – I would encourage as many people as possible to make sure they vote and
have their say. It’s not too late to register to vote – you can find out more
on our website.

We enter into our ‘purdah’ period from next week, so I
will not be blogging during that time but am looking forward to the election
and to meeting residents during the next few weeks.

I would like to thank you all for your ongoing interest
in reading my blog and for the comments you send in.

Monday, 20 March 2017

As I am
writing this the plans for the next A27 Community Workshop in Chichester are
being finalised.

There has
been a huge amount of support for this approach from all quarters and it is really
heartening to have so many offers of help and interest.

We, the
community in and around Chichester, have the opportunity to put our thoughts
and ideas on a blank sheet of paper and speak with one collective voice to
secure improvements which are so desperately needed.

The A27
affects all our lives in one way or another, but it is not just about this
single road and its traffic – it’s about transport in the local area in general
as well as issues such as air quality.

From
experience I know that community based solutions are the best ones and that is
what we will be looking for in the forthcoming workshops.

It is a
community led approach and not for the County Council alone. But we know that
we will need some expert help and advice at some stage. At the last workshop it
was agreed that it was important that this advice is independent and can offer
a different approach and fresh thinking. The County Council will help make this
happen and ensure those requirements are met and that is why £100,000 has been
put aside for this purpose so we can help our communities to help themselves.

Some may
ask why didn’t you do this last year? The reason is quite simple – the
Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, commissioned Highways England
to develop schemes for the A27 – the County Council’s role was a statutory
consultee, Highways England prepare plans and then consult. It is a format that
they adhere to and we had no power to change this.

We know the
results of the consultation showed 47% said ‘no option’ and that is where we
are. Some people take a negative view saying it will take 10 years plus before
a further allocation of funding and it is all too difficult.

Having
listened and read the many comments I know how much people wanted to be
involved to have their voice heard to make sure we had the best solution.

Now we need
as a community to come together to find those solutions - short, medium, and
long term – so the Secretary of State and Highways England know we can work
together, and that we, as a community, can find the right answer for our
residents and our beautiful city.

It is a
bold vision but it is the right thing to do and I look forward to our first
proper workshop event and more to come, judging by the considerable positive
comments many others feel the same.

So a big
bold step for all of us but we need to take it to find big bold solutions.

Monday, 6 March 2017

Some days are particularly significant and represent the
culmination of considerable background work. And so it was on 2 March when we
launched the 1001 Critical Days Manifesto.

This isn’t a political manifesto, but a critically important
matter, extremely dear to my heart, which will affect not only those born today
and those who have just been born, but those who will be born in the future.

The Manifesto highlights the huge importance from when a
baby is conceived until the age of two.

Research has confirmed and reinforced what we have known for
a very long time – that from conception up to two years old is a critical time
in a child’s development. What happens in those 1,001 days can set the course
of a child’s life. Scans of a child’s brain highlights the development of the
brain’s function – the evidence is startling and worrying but clear for all to
see.

While a baby is in the womb there is a person growing and
forming, it requires nourishing food and nurturing – all as important as after
the baby is born. Sadly we see more children born with foetal alcoholism, drug
addiction and other problems. It is the worst start for those babies, it
damages the child’s life chances right from the start and sadly in most cases
right the way through life. But that doesn’t have to be the case – which is why
this Manifesto is so important.

Under the Manifesto we are promising more support and
guidance to families and parents of infants. We want to look at things like
improving support for mothers at risk of mental health issues, giving all
parents access to ante-natal classes and ensuring services and organisations
are working together to share data and information. This is not new to us, we
are already working very closely with our health partners such as midwives. We
all want a seamless service to support and help mums-to-be and parents, thus
ensuring children have the best start in life.

Of course, we can’t achieve this on our own and I’m pleased
to say that a number of organisations have already joined us and signed up to
the manifesto including the maternity teams from Western Sussex Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, as well as Sussex
Community NHS FoundationTrust. Yet
again an example of how much we can achieve by working together as
organisations.

In our busy lives we often forget that the contact with our
baby, whether a cuddle, holding a hand, playing or talking, are absolutely key
to a child’s development – they cost nothing but have a huge impact on a child.
Finding the time is sometimes the hardest thing to do, but such interaction is
a vital part of a child’s development. Sadly some parents, because of a history
of poor parenting, do not know how to interact with their child.

Our ambition is for every baby to receive sensitive,
appropriate and responsive care, whilst ensuring parents feel confident they
are raising their children in a loving and supportive environment.

I’m pleased to say that at the County Council our services
and professionals already recognise the significance of help early on and we
have been praised for our work. The Manifesto will add to this work by putting
in place a secure foundation to build upon. I firmly believe this gives a
really positive start to ensuring our residents are receiving the support they
and their loved ones need for the best start in life.

We held the launch at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester
and it was attended by a number of people including Tim Loughton, one of our
local MPs. Tim is Co-Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for
Conception to Age 2 and is a very strong advocate of the Manifesto. It was Tim
who first introduced it to me and asked me if it was something we would
consider implementing at the County Council.

We are just the second council in the country to commit to a
1001 Critical Days Manifesto, following in the footsteps of Northampton County
Council last year.

We know nationally that the cost of failing to deal
adequately with perinatal mental health and child maltreatment has been
estimated at £23 billion per year. Reports show this is largely avoidable and
we need to do all we can to tackle the problem locally. Once again it
highlights the importance of preventative work rather than reactive work and
the impact this can have long-term.

In West Sussex we have approximately 9,000 births per year –
we need to ensure each and every child, parent and carer has the support they
need for those 1,001 critical days and beyond.

We’re asking all West Sussex based services and
professionals who work with children in the 1,001 days age group to support the
manifesto by signing the pledge – you can find out more on our website. You can
also view a video from the launch.

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

The news
today that the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, has cancelled
the A27 Chichester improvement scheme is deeply disappointing to say the least.

The
cancellation means that the dreadful congestion experienced by motorists
everyday on this road will now only get worse. This is not only felt especially
at peak times, but also on the alternative routes used locally by motorists
avoiding the A27.

We have not
been given a proper explanation as to why the minister has reached this
decision. But to suggest this is because of a lack of support from West Sussex
County Council is just wrong.

The County
Council has long campaigned for improvements to the A27 at Chichester and has
committed £10 million towards the scheme.

These funds
have been committed to the improvements for some time and they remain so. Let
there be no doubt over that.

I wrote to
the minister at the end of January – one of my many letters and emails calling
for an open and transparent consultation process and clear communications with
the public. The letter – which can be read here – clearly sets out our position
and in no way withdrew support for the scheme.

What the
letter did say – and these are things we have said repeatedly – is that people
should have an opportunity to voice their concerns and preferences on every
aspect of the scheme, the consultation results should be published promptly and
a decision on the scheme should be reached as soon as possible.

The letter
also stressed that we would work with Highways England and the Department for
Transport on their preferred option – whatever that might be – provided it
meets the strategic objectives which were originally set out for the benefit of
the residents of West Sussex.

What is
important now is that we all unite together to do all we can to persuade the
minister to reconsider his decision given the evident need of investment for
the infrastructure of our county.

I am today
urging people to come together and work towards finding a solution that will
meet with the approval of our community. This is the only way we can provide the
Secretary of State with the reassurance he needs. I would welcome a meeting
with the Secretary of State to discuss the matter further.

I know many
people will be very upset with this latest news, but please be assured I am
fully committed to working with everyone in our communities and Chichester
District Council to help find a solution for Chichester.